PROJECTS

Kerkasha - Eritrea

Kerkasha – Eritrea

Ownership 100% Alpha. Area = 1,028km² with Four (4) areas of Colonial (Italian) workings currently identified. Seven (7) Artisanal gold mining Prospects currently identified.

Early Au-Cu-Ag discovery at Anagulu: 52m @ 2.33 g/t Au & 1.05% Cu & 6.53g/t Ag (80 – 129m in DD Hole AND001)

Significant, high quality dataset available from exploration programmes carried out by Anglo Gold Ashanti and Alpha Exploration that has generated Target Areas from traditional prospecting through to ‘cutting edge’ Machine Learning

The Kerkasha Exploration License Agreement granted on the 10 January 2018, covers an area of 973km² and is valid for 3 years. There is the ability to negotiate time extensions for the license after the initial 3 year period. The license area has the potential for gold & base metal mineralisation.

On the 13th September 2018, Alpha was granted an Extension Area (55km²) in the northeast of the original Kerkasha Licence that increased the area of the Kerkasha License to 1,028km².

Exploration Targets:

– (Sukari Type) Bulk tonnage low grade gold deposit at margin of syn-tectonic intrusion.
– (Zara Type) High grade, deep vein orogenic gold deposit.
– (Augaro Type) Structurally controlled gold-copper deposit.
– (Bisha Type) Volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) copper-zinc deposit with significant gold credits.
– (Jebel Ohier type) Porphyry Copper-gold deposit

Historic Exploration & Mining of Kerkasha License Area

COLONIAL PERIOD & ARTISANAL MINING

During the period of Italian Colonial rule in Eritrea from 1890 until the end of the Second World War, there was a sustained programme of exploration and mining of orogenic gold deposits within the country. The Kerkasha Exploration License has four (4) documented Italian Gold Mines (Asheshi, Fankop, Aburna and Abbi) and seven (7) areas of recent Artisanal Mining (Kosolda, Ebinte, Balak, Gulul, Shakat, Dase and Dekemhare) within the License area.

EXPLORATION OF KERKASHA BY ANGLOGOLD-ASHANTI (2010 - 2013)

Fortunately, the work carried out by Anglo Gold Ashanti on behalf of the Thani-Ashanti Alliance is of high quality and has presented Alpha with a sound and extensive dataset that would take significant time and money to develop. This has allowed for a sophisticated ‘Machine Learning’ and ‘Probabilistic Modelling’ regional appraisal of the entire License Area and an early focus on Prospect scale exploration and drilling. Anglo Gold Ashanti carried out the following work programmes:

  • Remote sensing studies.
  • Regional geological mapping.
  • A heli-borne combined Versatile Time Domain Electromagnetic (VTEM)/Radiometric/Magnetic survey over the entire License Area.
  • Regional stream sediment sampling programme (640 samples) with Bulk Leach Extractable Gold (BLEG) analysis for a sub set of samples (28 samples).
  • Regional and Prospect scale rock chip sampling (184 samples).
  • Prospect scale geological mapping over the six most promising areas for orogenic gold mineralisation (Kosolda, Asoshi, Balak, Shakat, Gulul and Aborita/Dase Prospects).

The main emphasis of the Anglo Gold Ashanti exploration was for orogenic gold. The search for volcanogenic massive sulphides (VMS) within the volcanic belts was not pursued to the same extent. This may present a VMS opportunity for Alpha.
The Thani-Ashanti Alliance relinquished the property for corporate reasons, not geological reasons. The AngloGold Ashanti group dramatically reduced their worldwide exploration effort during 2013 and the relinquishment of Kerkasha was part of this restructuring.

KERKASHA LICENSE
  • Ownership 100% Alpha.
  • Area = 1,028km².
  • Four (4) areas of Colonial (Italian) workings currently identified.
  • Seven (7) Artisanal gold mining Prospects currently identified.
  • Located in highly prospective Nakfa Terrain rocks (hosts Bisha, Hambok and Zara deposits).
  • On Augaro -Kerkasha ‘gold trend’.
  • Early Au-Cu-Ag discovery at Anagulu: 49m @ 2.42 g/t Au & 1.10% Cu & 6.83g/t Ag (80 – 129m in DD Hole AND001)
  • Significant, high quality dataset available from exploration programmes carried out by Anglo Gold Ashanti and Alpha Exploration that has generated Target Areas from traditional prospecting through to ‘cutting edge’ Machine Learning, Probabilistic modelling and geochemical data analysis (Centre Log Ratio &Z Score Normalisation) that remain untested by drilling.
ANAGULU PROSPECT

‘Ore grade’ rock chip geochemistry for gold and copper (extending for ~2kms) supported by anomalous gold and copper in soil geochemistry over the same ~2kms strike, with a width of nearly 1km. The copper mineralisation is open to the NE and the SW.

KOSOLDA PROSPECT

100m x 100m soil sampling assay results for Au shows Kosolda West is most significant anomalous Area.

Could this be the ‘in-situ’ source to extensive alluvial gold deposit in valley?

The IP-Resistivity survey returned good quality data. Southern Geoscience Consultants generated 8 chargeable targets, 3 are highly chargeable and definite anomalies. The other 5 features are weakly chargeable. Drilling is recommended on five of the features.

Channel sampling of Kosolda West carried out in Oct-Nov 2019. Best Channel results for Au are 21.1 g/t, 4.92 g/t and 3.09 g/t Au

Follow-up rock chip sampling of Kosolda West carried out in Dec 2019-Jan 2020. Best Au results returned were over ~500m on the north-eastern section of Kosolda West. Best rock chip results for Au were 6.20 g/t, 6.19 g/t 3.81 g/t and 3.61 g/t Au

NEXT STEPS IN EXPLORATION
ANAGULU:
  • Drill test (6,000m of RC and Diamond drilling) the latest coincident chargeability, resistivity and gravity anomalies beneath current drill strikes
  • Extend the 20m x 20m soil analysis (portable XRF) survey and then review all geological, geochemical and geophysical data
  • Extend the IP-Resistivity survey to the south and southeast
  • Carry out preliminary metallurgical test-work & environmental baseline studies if the drill programmes return positive results.
KOSOLDA:
  • Carry out 20m x 20m soil analysis (portable XRF) survey and then review all geological, geochemical and geophysical data.
  • Develop a LeapFrog 3D model of all geological, geophysical and geochemical datasets over Kosolda West, Main and East.
  • Drill test with RC and/or Diamond drilling the Au anomalous areas from soil and rock chip sampling at Kosolda West Prospect.
ASHESHI:
  • Carry out an IP/Resistivity survey over the Asheshi Colonial Mine and Albibi Shear Areas.
  • Develop a LeapFrog 3D model of all geological, geophysical & geochemical datasets over the Asheshi Colonial Mine and Albibi Shear.
  • Drill test with RC and/or Diamond drilling any new zones of potential mineralisation generated from the 3D modelling.
REGIONAL EXPLORATION:

Follow up on new Target Areas identified from Dr Michael Gazley’s evaluation of regional soil datasets.

EXPANSION WITHIN THE ARABIAN-NUBIAN SHIELD:
  • Acquire a second License in Eritrea.
  • Consider ground acquisition in Sudan and Ethiopia.

Kerkasha Project Photos